Three Wake Forest professors have written in protest concerning an upcoming talk by Sam Fried, an American-born former Israeli Defense Forces soldier. Free Palestine WFU, a pro-Palestine student group that was involved with a campus encampment last spring, has also spoken out regarding the talk via social media.

Fried has been invited by Jewish Life to speak on Feb. 11. At the time of publication, the event has not been publicized by Jewish Life or the university calendar. 

Dean J. Franco, Winifred W. Palmer Professor in Literature, Barry Trachtenberg, Rubin Presidential Chair of Jewish History and Mir Yarfitz, Associate Professor of History wrote to Wake Forward, as well as the Old Gold & Black, urging for the cancellation of the event. 

In their letter, the three professors pointed to the date of the event, as Feb. 11 marks the first anniversary of the Israeli airstrikes on Rafah, a city in the Gaza Strip.

“We are especially troubled by the timing: scheduling this talk on Feb. 11, a date that marks the anniversary of devastating Palestinian casualties in Rafah, demonstrates either a disturbing lack of awareness or a callous disregard for many members of our university community,” the professors said. 

Previously, the university canceled a talk by a Palestinian scholar, Rabab Abdulhadi, which was scheduled for Oct. 7., one year after Hamas’ surprise attack on Israeli towns bordering the Gaza Strip. Despite the cancellation of the event, Abdulhadi gave a talk at a local church off-campus. 

A university-wide email from President Susan Wente and Provost Michele Gillespie  announced the cancellation of Abdulhadi’s event and any other event that “is inherently contentious and stands to stoke division in our campus community.” 

Stephanie Marshall, the assistant chaplain for Jewish Life, confirmed this event in an email to the Old Gold & Black. 

“Sam Fried is one of several speakers invited to campus this semester by Jewish student organizations. Wake Forest University seeks to uphold our dual commitments to free expression and care for all in our community,” Marshall said. “University administrators are in dialogue with the student organizers and students who have expressed concern about what this choice of speaker means to them.”

Free Palestine WFU has created several social media posts urging the campus community to contact university administrators to protest the event. 

“There is no justice on a campus that claims to value the human dignity of all; while ushering in an occupying force that has murdered countless Palestinians, there will be no peace for Sam Fried nor Wake Forest. Susan Wente, Michele Gillespie, Matt Clifford, Jose Villalba, Jim Settle, and Shea Kidd Brown to name a few, know your hands are equally stained with Palestinian blood; same as the colonizers whose genocide you continue to support. Any further unrest will be a result of your own actions and/or inaction,” said the group, in an Instagram caption. 

In a call with the Old Gold & Black, Chabad Student President and senior Isabelle Laxer talked about why Jewish Life chose to bring Fried to campus. 

“I really wanted to create a space/opportunity for different perspectives to be heard, so students on this campus are exposed to a wide variety of opinions and therefore able to make their own decisions and viewpoints,” Laxer said. 

On her thoughts on the controversy surrounding the event, she continued.

“I’m a little disappointed — there’s a lot of misinformation and blatant lies being made about [Fried],” said Laxer.

Winston-Salem community groups are also protesting the speaker. Via social media, BlackLivesMatter Winston-Salem has scheduled a protest of Fried on Sat., Feb 1. 

In an email to the Old Gold & Black, the university administration said they were still in conversation about the event. 

“University administrators are in conversation with event planners and those opposed to the event. It is not yet clear how those ongoing conversations might influence the final plans,” said Cheryl Walker, executive director of strategic communications. 

At the time of publication, Fried has not responded to request for comment.